Making Local Life Better Fund

Fund Aims:

The Making Local Life Better Fund is made up of money from many local private donor funds that the Community Foundation attracts and manages. Between them, donors fund a wide range of needs, but all aim to support local people and local communities.

Grants are available to support grassroots community groups and small-medium sized charitable organisations who are aiming to improve the lives of the people in their local communities.

Available Funding

Grants are available for organisations working in Leicestershire and Rutland for up to £3,000 and must be spent within a year of receiving the grant.

You can apply to cover costs such as:

• Equipment and materials
• Staffing
• Training and skills development
• Rent, hire, premise cost
• Volunteer expenses.

What Kind of Organisation Can Apply?

You can apply if you operate in Leicester, Leicestershire or Rutland and are one of the following:

• Registered charity • Constituted Community group • Company Limited by Guarantee with charitable aims • Community Interest Companies, Community Interest Organisations • Social Enterprises (including some Co-operatives) • Parish Council (for non-statutory funded work) • PTAs • Churches and other religious organisations (if the funded activity is not deemed to be proselytising)

NOTE: Funding to charitable companies or CIOs is restricted to funding their charitable objectives only.

NB –any national charities would need to be able to demonstrate that they have a local branch. This would include a local bank account, finances, and demonstration of fundraising and delivery in the local area only

We CANNOT fund the following:

• Projects taking place outside Leicestershire and Rutland, or not mainly for Leicestershire and Rutland communities Making Local Life Better Eligibility and Guidance Notes • Activities or organisations, which promote a single political or religious cause. Faith based organisations may still be funded provided that the grant benefits the wider community and is not intended to influence people’s religious choices or to promote a particular belief system. • Sole traders • Statutory organisations like schools, colleges or local councils (but PTFAs, Parish Councils etc may apply for projects which do not overlap with statutory responsibilities) • Statutory bodies such as city and county councils or health institutions cannot apply. • National charities (but we may consider locally managed branches benefitting Leicestershire and Rutland communities). • Organisations demonstrating poor management of previous grants, or poor financial health • Payment of deficit funding or repayment of loans • Sponsorship of events • Retrospective funding: that is, projects that will have started before an application can be processed, or repayment of money you have already spent • Zoom licences are not eligible as part of project budget apart from in exceptional circumstances where it can be clearly demonstrated why a paid version is required to support beneficiaries. • We cannot replace loss of income